With contract settlement Good Samaritan Hospital workers avert one-day strike

Service Employees Local 49 ratified a new three-year collective bargaining agreement Dec. 23 at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital, averting a one-day strike scheduled for Dec. 22.

Local 49 represents 250 workers at the Northwest Portland hospital.

The union had been in negotiations since June without much movement. Workers gave management 10-days strike notice Dec. 12. A tentative deal was reached Dec. 15 and voted on Dec. 23. The contract was approved by an 86 percent majority.

Living wages and health care affordability were key issues in the negotiations. Highlights of the agreement include an across-the-board wage increase of 2.5 percent each year for three years, plus seniority increases ranging from 2.5 to 9 percent, depending on years of service; increases for certain classifications that were below market, including certified nursing assistants, retroactive to July 1, 2003.

In addition, workers may opt to take Legacy’s system-wide bonus of $500 per employee in one lump sum or place it tax-free into a medical reimbursement account to go toward health care premiums, prescription drug costs, etc. New committees were also created to include workers’ voices in a pension study, injury-free workplace, patient services and health and safety.

“This agreement substantially improves the wages and benefits for health care workers at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital,” said Alice Dale, president of Local 49. “Workers being able to put their bonus tax-free into medical reimbursements is significant. However, this is not a permanent solution to the crisis of skyrocketing health care costs, particularly for health care workers themselves.”

The bargaining unit includes certified nursing assistants, emergency department aides, patient services associates, physical therapy aides, anesthesiology assistants, central sterile technicians, dietary clerks, radiology aides, transport associates and food production workers.

In the last few months, these workers held a march and a candlelight vigil to highlight the issue of affordable health care, and last week, State Representative Mitch Greenlick joined with them in a delegation to Legacy’s administration offices to urge Legacy administration to settle the contract fairly.

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